Minnesota

Maple Crest Farm, Gerald Harris, 21454 Jade Road, Silverlake, MN 55381, 320-327-2728. Certified organic operation with small strawberry, raspberry, and asparagus plantings and truck garden for farmer's market.

• Source of power: 4 working horses, tractor.
• Horses are used to: cultivate corn and strawberries, prepare ground for corn and oats, seed oats, cut and rake hay, cut corn and oats, haul manure, and miscellaneous jobs. Hope to train several horses.
• Acreage: 46; 8 acres of corn for silage to feed cows and occasionally ear corn to grind for poultry and calf feed; 6-12 acres of oats to feed horses and poultry; we make 3,000 to 5,000 bales of alfalfa hay and meadow grass hay to feed cows and horses; in 2008 we will be making alfalfa hay on 6 acres of a housing development.
• Other livestock: turkeys, 40 head of Angus, several butcher hogs.
• Skills offered in: animal husbandry, harness repair, machinery operation and repair, farming procedures and reasons; apprentice helps where I need help throughout the day—baling and stacking hay; harvesting, weeding.
• Work hours: 5:45 am am to 7:00 pm (except when baling hay, which may go to 9:00 pm), 6 days/wk with breaks for noon dinner and supper.
• Terms: room & board; 1 apprentice at a time, for one month or longer.
• Stipend: possible.
• Accommodations: meals with the family, separate one-room 12'x14' rustic housing.
• Apprentice must: be friendly, responsible, willing to listen and work; not smoke, drink, or use drugs.
• Visit first: not necessary.
• Trial period: yes.